Behind Castle Walls
by I am not Aphrodite
Summary: Eris spent years trying to get her family to notice the good she did, but they only seemed to notice the bad. Eventually it all just got to be too much for the goddess of Chaos.


The young girl lived in what should have been the most beautiful place in the world. Not even just the world! The most beautiful place _ever_. The castle on Olympus, home to Zeus and Hera and their children, had everything a god or goddess should want. Stone walls, marble pillars, many different balconies to see the thriving gardens outside. With ponds and fountains and statues, it was the very definition of any fictional paradise. Though Zeus and Hera's youngest daughter, Eris, couldn't find herself appreciating the view.

Eris was still young, perhaps the emotional and physical set of a ten year old. She wasn't actually ten, of course. Gods never stayed young for long, but Eris enjoyed staying small. Like all gods, she could choose her appearance. A ten year old, for the time being, was her preference. She knew she did it for attention, for the girl craved attention. But as ignorant as she was, Eris had a valid reason to do so. She felt neglected by her family.

Some might say being the youngest had its advantages. However, it wasn't like that with Zeus and Hera. They didn't coo over just any child. The child had to be strong, like Ares, or beautiful and sweet like Hebe. Then again, that's what_ Eris_ believed. And according to Ares, Eris was always wrong. Always lying. Always trying to cause trouble. Could anyone blame Eris? She was, after all, the goddess of Chaos. Though she did not say these things to cause trouble. Eris truly felt that she was the daughter her parents never wanted.

Eris blamed it all on her title. Hell, Eris found herself loathing all the chaos she accidentally caused. Without meaning to, she caused people to trip with a simple blink of her eye, or turned servants into frogs when they invaded her personal space. She wanted to help, to fix things, but someone was always there scolding her before she could get the chance. "Don't even try!" Ares would yell, "All you do is mess things up!"

"Just give me a chance!" Eris would scream back.

But Ares would just give her this look. One of disgust, of _hatred_. And Eris would shrink back, unable to stand the look, but also unable to look away. She prayed that one day he'd look at her with approval.

More than once Eris would catch her parents talking about her. It was always the same topic. "Eris broke this today," or "Eris turned so and so into a pig today," but no matter how many times the conversation differed, it always ended the same. "How are we to deal with her?" and the same defeated, disappointed sigh would come out of her father's mouth. "You just cannot_ control_ chaos."

Eris long since stopped trying to seek comfort after these overheard conversations. Something in the back of her mind would remind her that no one truly cared. So the goddess would find herself hidden behind a statue in the garden, sobbing into her hands until she no longer could. It never occurred to Eris to confront her parents on the issue. How would she confront it, when deep down, she knew it was true? There was no way to control her powers. She was hopeless!

There was once a time when Eris stayed to herself for two weeks. She didn't leave her room, though she had servants bring her food. Even then she had the servants leave the food outside the door, so no accidents could occur. Eris did so to prove she could go two weeks without causing any problems. When the two weeks were up, the goddess was so proud, she ran straight to Ares' room. "Ares!" she cried, a smile on her face. "Ares, have you noticed? I did not cause one bit of chaos for two weeks!"

Ares looked at her, his face expressionless. "Good job. However, father needs me." with those few words, Ares transported. Eris leaned against the wall, the familiar aching in her heart showing up. The goddess shrank down to the floor, as if the pain might truly kill her. "Ares, I _need_ you!" Eris screamed. Her brother's mirror then shattered, bits of glass flying everywhere. "I'm sorry I can't be good, but you could help me be better! _Ares_!"

Though Ares never heard her. And if he did, the message he was conveying was far more simple. He just didn't care.

And Eris was getting more and more desperate.

Weeks passed and Eris decided to try a new tactic. She had been feeling worse. Eris thought perhaps her mother would understand if they only_ talked_. Hera was talking to her sister, Demeter. Interrupting their conversation was certainly very rude, especially interrupting the queen, but this was important. She approached quietly, standing off to the side. Neither of them noticed her at first, and Eris didn't mind. She waited until they'd paused their conversation, then said, "Mommy?"

Hera looked over, noticing her daughter for the first time. "I'm busy, Eris." She said quickly before turning back to Demeter. "But mommy, I need to _talk_ to you!" Eris begged, tears threatening to fall. Hera didn't even look over this time, simply stating, "We'll talk later."

Devastated, Eris nodded her head and walked away, each step doing a number on the pain in her chest. _They don't really care for you, Eris_, her mind taunted,_ So why do you continue trying_?

Why did she continue trying?

Her father wasn't even an option. He was always busy, always stressed. Eris did not want to bother him. Even if there was a chance he'd listen. The pain Eris felt was too strong, already threatening to break her. That night she lay in her room, waiting for her mother to come looking for her. She never did, of course. No one did. No one noticed her lack of presence, they only noticed the chaos she caused. She cried, sobbed even. Eris was slowly, gradually losing the strands that kept her together.

After hours of sobbing, Eris decided she would get somebody to listen. It was late, perhaps midnight, when she got up and walked into Ares' room. He wasn't asleep, but laying in bed gazing up at the ceiling. "Brother, can we talk?" Eris asked carefully. She'd made sure to wash her face beforehand, so no evidence of her tears could be found. Ares looked over, then sat up. Eris had hope. Perhaps he'd finally listen!

"Here to break my mirror again?"

As quickly as she could, Eris shook her head. "No, Ares, I need you to listen! I-I've been... I haven't been..." She lost her confidence so easily, always ending up stammering like a fool. This wasn't going well. Eris just had to admit everything. Her brother would only listen for so long, and if she didn't say the right thing, he'd just think her a freak. He already thought her a freak. "I can't stop crying! Mother and father won't listen, and I... I haven't been feeling myself. I don't even know what _myself_ feels like!"

Ares stared at her, as if debating whether or not to reply. Finally he said, "What are you getting at?"

Eris was always so subtle, so calm. She hardly ever lost that quality. So what happened next shocked her, and it certainly shocked Ares. Eris stomped her foot, causing the walls of the castle to shake. Tears streamed down her face as she screamed. "All of you! All of you treat me like some pest; an animal you can't keep away! I've just wanted to feel like part of this family, but I don't! Father doesn't talk to me, mother is embarrassed of me, and you- you _hate_ me!"

The walls were shaking, servants were running around, and soon enough the king and queen would be there to punish Eris. Ares stood up, raising his hands. "Eris, you need to calm down." He had the nerve to tell her to calm down! After years of acting calm, of keeping her powers mostly under control, she did not think he had the right to tell her to _calm down_. The very thought made Eris laugh. Ares realized, too late, that his sister truly had needed his help.

All those years truly had worn the strings that held Eris together. Here she was, releasing every emotion she'd bottled up. "Are you going to apologize now? Now that you see what this family has turned me into? You thought I was a monster, Ares, but you so very obviously don't know what a real monster is!"

"You're not a monster, Eris. You're my little sister."

"LIAR!" Eris screamed. Candles, clothes, everything was flying around. "You only tell me that now? It is far too late. You have neglected me _far_ too many times. You all have!"

By this time the king and queen were standing down the hall, a confused Hebe standing behind Zeus. His arm was outstretched, keeping Hebe from getting any closer. The sight of him protecting her was the final straw. Eris glared at all of them, tears still falling relentlessly. "None of you truly loved me!"

Hera took a step forward, but paused. "Eris..."

"Enough! I've had enough! You are all getting your wish tonight." Eris gave them all a broken smile. The pain on her face was clear as day, but Eris no longer cared. She'd never see them again. Eris turned on her heel and walked a few steps, then vanished.

Her family, her supposed family, was left staring at the spot she disappeared. And Zeus could not make Hera leave that spot. Not when she so desperately hoped her daughter, her youngest daughter, would come back to her.

* * *

**A/N: Because my lovely love Renee wanted me to write something! Here, have something more serious, babygirl! **


End file.
